Kansas City Current midfielder Croix Bethune stepped onto the field at the sold out CPKC Stadium on Sunday with one goal in mind: break the NWSL single season assist record.
Well, at least that was one of her goals. She of course also wanted to help lead the Current to a win over her former team, the Washington Spirit, and book a spot in the NWSL playoffs.
It was serendipity for Bethune to be facing the Spirit on this big of a day for her. It was the perfect opportunity to show the Spirit what they’ve been missing out on.
And, Bethune delivered on all fronts.
In the 17th minute of the match, Bethune recorded her 11th assist of the season by passing the ball to her teammate Vanessa DiBernardo. She officially broke the NWSL’s record with this assist. The previous record was held by Portland Thorn’s Tobin Heath (10) in 2016.
“Honestly, it’s the only thing I could think about. O.K., not the only thing. But, I was thinking about it a lot cause I wanted to break that record really bad, especially last year getting hurt right before it,” Bethune said after the match. “You can’t focus on it too much or it won’t happen. So, it’s just kind of going with the flow of the game and making sure we got the job done.”
Heath even congratulated Bethune on social media, saying “congrats @croixbethune. Love watching you ball.” How awesome.
How did it feel for Bethune to finally break the record she’s been anxious to accomplish for years now against her former team? When asked a similar question in her post-match press conference, Bethune had to sit and think about her response for a second.
“I mean, the lick back is great,” Bethune said, prompting laughter in the media room. “I just set some goals for myself and I manifested, and by the grace of God it comes true and it happens.”
Bethune’s assist helped the Current win 2-1 over the Spirit. Coach Chris Armas was appreciative of Bethune’s team-first attitude when it comes to providing assists in matches.
“The assist record is an amazing individual accomplishment for Croix,” Armas said after the match. “I think that’s also a team award in many ways. She has to get the ball to someone, someone usually has to get the ball to her.”
He also admitted that he didn’t put added pressure on Bethune to secure the record.
“We haven’t talked much about it. I haven’t spoken at all about it,” Armas said. “But, we celebrate it today for sure.”
It’s clear the Current and its fanbase is genuinely grateful for the addition of Bethune this season. The packed CPKC Stadium erupted in cheers for the midfielder when the record was broken.
Armas acknowledged just how significant that moment must’ve been for Bethune in her three years in the league.
“That in front of our fans, that she can have that honor. It’s great that she can do that against her old team. I imagine that means something for her,” Armas said. “It’s good to have her back [from injury]. You can see how important she is.”
Before playing on Sunday, Bethune hadn’t started since Sept. 4 as she dealt with a hip issue. She did come off the bench in the previous matchup against the Utah Royals on Saturday, Oct. 17. She was tied with Royals forward Cloé Lacasse with 10 assists each heading into Sunday, but Bethune got the upper hand there.
Bethune is no stranger to missing time on the pitch because of injury. In 2024, her rookie season, her standout season with the Spirit came to an abrupt early end as she tore her meniscus in August of that year. She suffered the injury while throwing out a first pitch at the Washington Nationals game. That season, Bethune recorded 10 assists and was fully expected to break the NWSL record then.
Needless to say, achieving the record is something that’s been on Bethune’s mind for a couple years now. She wanted to finish the job she started in 2024.
When returning to action in 2025 in Washington, Bethune was still struggling with various injuries, so she only recorded two assists during the season.
Although injuries have plagued a good majority of Bethune’s career, she hasn’t let that stop her from accomplishing her goals.
“I’ve had a lot of major injuries. This [hip] one was minor, but it’s a part of the game,” Bethune said. “You can only focus on what’s in front of you instead of dwelling on the past and what happened. Just focusing on little details, getting stronger, and making sure I’m capable of performing.”
Finding her new home in Kansas City has seemed to really work out for Bethune. It was time for her to get the spotlight she deserves.
“She’s been a great addition for our team this year. It’s nice that she gets that recognition,” Armas said.
What does Bethune herself think of her first year with the Current, even though it’s not quite over yet? She had one word to describe her first season there: “legendary.” That’s a pretty perfect word to use after breaking a league record.
Now Bethune will have the opportunity to continue adding reasons to make her 2026 season “legendary” as the Current prepare for the NWSL playoffs. Kansas City sits in fourth place behind the Spirit ahead of the final day of the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 1, which is also known as Decision Day. The Current will face Racing Louisville for the season finale.
If the Current remains in one of the top four spots, then they will host a quarterfinal match. This would be significant, as the Current hasn’t lost at CPKC Stadium all season.
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